Method and apparatus for producing coated wire



March 6, 1945. w, c, LANG 2,370,973 7 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COATED WIRE Filed Nov. 22, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 $1 NAN w is} Q T March a, 1945. w. c. LANG 2,370,973

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COATED WIRE Filed Nov. 22, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

March 6, 1945. 'w, c LANG 2,370,973

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COATED WIRE Filed Nov. 22, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 vMarch 6, 1945.

METHOD W. C. LANG AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COATED WIRE Filed NOV. '22, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 W. C. LANG March 6, 1945.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COATED WIRE Fil ed Nov. 22, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Big. .15

w mHHH HH HP IH IHH HHHHHU INVENTOR.

aqaiw BY 71% 6.

Patented Mar. 6, 1945 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COATED WIRE William C. Lang, Sharpsville, Pa.

Application November 22, 1941, Serial No. 420,086

14 Claims.

This invention relates to process and apparatus for producing or coating ferrous or non-ferrous metallic wire, and more especially to the simultaneous alternate steps of preparing wire for electroplating and drawing of metallic coatings on a metallic wire.

It was shown by Gibbs in United States Patent No. 1,120,191 that wires could be electroplated with layers of metal, then subjected to a drawing operation; and after subsequent cleaning and pickling operations this procedure could be repeated; thus producing metallic wires by elongation of the electroplated metal on the wires. His equipment consisted of tanks for cleaning, pickling, and electroplating, followed by a wiredrawing apparatus. This repetition of alternate electroplating and drawing reduced the formation of nodules and roughness on the electrodeposit, such as would hinder subsequent drawing operations. I

In the present day processes for electroplating coatings on wire, the wire is usually electroplated by passing it through a tank containing the plating solution which requires considerable floor space. Electrical contact to the wire is made at intervals by the use of fingers" or bars on which the wire rubs, or by metallic contact rolls which rotate asthe wire passes over them. In either case, the contacts are electrical conductors and are troublesome, due to the deposition of metal on the contact material, the

scratching of the coating of the wire, or the contact voltage drop at high cathode current densities. It is also customary touse soluble or insoluble anodes in the bottom of the plating tank only, producing a far from uniform coating distribution around the circumference of the wire, such depending on the throwing power of the solution used. The present-day installations for electro-coating wire have an appreciable distance from anode to cathode, causing a considerable voltage drop between the two through the solution. There is an appreciable solution drag-out and loss with the wire when it leaves the plating tank, and the solution spray due to gas evolution with insoluble anodes is troublesome. The

solution is open to the atmosphereand subject.

of circular pipe which form an ideal arrangement for the annealing, cleaning, pickling, and plating of wire, the pipes serving as chambers and electrodes for heat treating, cleaning, pickling,

and plating operations.

1 It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a suitable process and apparatus for simultaneous electroplating and drawing of electroplated coatings on wire, which are suitable for continuous operation, applied to the productionor coating of wire.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a wire production or coating apparatus 'adaptable to very high rate of plating-solution circulation around the wire, with no loss of solution from drag-out on the wire. 7

It is still another object of the invention to provide in a continuous process the desired steps of annealing, cleaning, pickling, electroplating, drawing, and heat treating for the production or coating of wire in a completely closed system requiring a minimum of floor space.

Another object of the invention is to provide a process for the production of heavy, ductile, lustrous, smooth, tightly adherent coatings on wire.

'I'he invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings constituting a part hereof in which like reference characters designate like parts and in which: i v

Fig. 1 and Fig. 1a are vertical cross-sectional views of one type of apparatus for coating a metallic wire embodying the principles of this invention;

Figs. 2 and 2a are similar views of a modified form of apparatus;

Fig. 3 a front elevational view of a vertical form of apparatus;

Fig. 4 a diagrammatic view illustrating the modified form of wire travel from that shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 a portion of a vertical chamber section between dies or spacersv showing alternate direction of travel of the wires where a vertical arrangement is employed;

Fig. 6 a cross-sectional view of a horizontal type of apparatus similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 illustrating the manner for coating eight wires in parallel;

Fig. 7 a cross-sectional view through two cham-' bers of a wire plating section illustrating the use of spacer cylinders Fig. 8 a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8, Fig. 9;

tion of still another form of plating chamber with its solution circulation system;

Fig. 14 a side elevational view of a supporting means for the apparatus;

Fig. 15 an end cross-sectional view taken alon the line I5i5, Fig. 14; 3

Fig. 16 a cross sectional view taken along th line l6l6, Fig. 17;

Fig. 1'7 a side elevation partially in section of still another form of plating chamber; and.

Fig. 18 a cross-sectional view ofa pipe chamber especially adapted for use with soluble anode pipes.

The inventionwill now be described with reference to the structure shown in Fig. 1. For the sake of simplicity, alphabetical reference characters will be employed to designate the series of treating chambers, so that the use of any number of difierent kinds of treating chambers will be at once apparent from an inspection of the several figures of the drawings. It will also be evident 20 are provided to partition the chambers adiacent the dies. There are also spacer seals 2! which provide a non-rubbing opening of close clearance for passage of the wire. The pipe forming section C is connected positive to a source of direct current, as indicated, and the. dies I4 and i5 are cathodically connected to a direct source of current, as indicated.

The plating sections H are likewise connected to a positive source of direct current, and dies l6 and I! are negatively connected to a source of direct current. Solutions are circulated in. the

respective treating chambers by means of inlet solution recovery sections wherein the outlets are that different treating chambers and treating 7,

solutions may be used in multiples of the same treating apparatus.

With reference to Fig. 1, A designates a heat treating, annealing or normalizing chamber, two of which are employed; B, cooling chambers, of which two are used in the apparatus of Fig. 1; C, an electro-cleaning chamber; D, a pickling chamber; E, a recovery chamber; F, a rinsing chamber; G; a plating solution recovery chamber; H, plating sections; and I, a, rinsing section.

All of the chambers are of tubular form. Chambers A and B are preferably constructed of heat resistant material such as alloy steel, or they may be of refractory composition.

Chamber C is preferably constructed of a current conducting material, resistant to attack from the cleaning medium.

Chamber D consists of an acid-resistant pipe.

Chamber E is likewise of an acid-resistant pipe.

Chamber F may be constructed of standard steel or iron pipe section as it acts merely as a container for rinsing with water.

Chamber G is constructed of a chemical-resistant material.

1 Chambers H act as insoluble anodes for plating the wire, and their materials of construction are determined by the nature of the plating solution used.

Chamber 1, which is a final rinsing section, may be constructed of ordinary pipe.

The wire to be treated is designated by the numeral l0, and is fed through the apparatus from a pay-ofi reel II to. a wind-up reel l2, the latter being power driven although the wire In may be otherwise propelledthrough the apparatus.

The numerals i3, i4, l5, l6, l1, l8 and I9 designate drawing dies through which the wire is successively drawn, preceding and following the treating steps. I

The die plates are of a heat-resisting hard allo and are solution-resistant as well. Gasket seals at the bottom of the chambers, as shown at 23c, 23g and 232'.

In the rinsing chamber F, the wire is sprayed with the water through spray pipes 24 and is drawn oil through pipe 25. This chamber is not kept full, so as to give eiTect to the spray.

The process of coating a metallic wire with a similar or dissimilar metallic coating as carried out by the apparatus shown and described in connection with Fig. 1 of the drawings is as follows.

The wire passing through chamber A is suitably heat treated to anneal it or normalize it, and is passed into chamber A from the pay-off reel 1 i through die l3. It then passes through the heat resistant seal 2| into the cooling chamber 3'.

The heating and cooling chambers A and B are preferably supplied with a reducing or nonoxidizing gas such as hydrogen, nitrogen or other vapors of similar property. In certain cases, molten metal maybe circulated through chamber A for heat treating, or the wire may be heat treated by passing current through the wire in chamber A.

The wire then passes through die l4 into the chamber C in which the wire is electro-cleaned. As previously stated, pipe C is connected to a positive source of D. C. current and the dies i4 and i5 are cathodically connected to such a source of current. PipeC is resistant to attack from the cleaning medium, which enters the inlet pipe 22 and exits from pipe 23.

Chamber D, constructed of acid-resistant pipe, is a pickling chamber into which the pickling medium enters through the inlet pipe 22 and exits from pipe 23. Any pickling solution that leaks through the spacer .seal 2| enters the recovery chamber E, from which it is withdrawn through outlet passage 23c. Chamber E is not kept full, and the fluid from chamber E is recirculated to chamber D.

The wire then passes into chamber Fwhere it is subjected to the fresh water spray by the membars 24. The wire newt enters the plating solution recovery chamber G which is constructed of chemical-resistant material. The purpose of chamber G is the same as chamber E, to recover plating solution which leaks through the seal 2|. It will be noted that in passing through the chambers E, F and G, the wire has not been subjected to any die-drawing step. Thus, good adhesion of the primary plated coating to the wire is effected.

The pipes of the two sections H are connected anodically to a source of direct current and act as insoluble anodes for the plating of the wire. The plating solution enters inlets 22h and exits from outlets 23h. The dies I6 and I! are of plating-solution resistant material and are electrically conductive. They are cathodically connected to the plating generator, the wire making positive cathodic contact to the die during drawing.

The wire then passes into section I which is a final rinsing section, to be used for removing arutraces of plating solution salts-fromthe wire be- 'with Fig. 2 of the drawings.

It is similar to that of Fig. 1 except that no heating and cooling is employed before or after plating. It consists of treating sections.C', D, E, G", H, K, H", K", H and I. Sections C, D, H, H' and H', in which electrolytic action takes place, are uniformly tapered toward some central point to provide uniform current density on the wire. If the anode and cathode were equidistant at all points, there would be a nonuniform current density resulting from the resistance drop through the wire.

The ratio of the inside pipe diameter at the smallest point to the inside diameter of the pipe at the die ends depends upon certain constants determined by desired operating conditions.

Satisfactory adhesion of an electrodeposit may be had on a freshly drawn surface, providing no oily lubricants, such as soaps and oils, are used; provided oxygen is not trapped in the pores of the metal during drawing operations; and provided the metal is sufficiently ductile and has sufiicient atomic attraction to a previously drawn surface. It is desirable to deposit relatively thin layers of metal between the drawing operations because of the ductility and freedoxnof imperfections characteristic of thin electrodeposited coatings. In cases where satisfactory adherence is not obtained,. it is advantageous to slightly etch the drawn surfaces or electrically treat it before depositing thenext layer.

Die 26, 21, 28, 29, and Si are interposed between the sections as shown. Spray nozzles 24 are provided in the rinsing chamber F. The sections and dies are anodically and cathodically connected to generators 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 31, as shown. The plating, drawing and rinsing steps are the same as described in connection with'Fig. 1, except that the heat treating and cooling is omitted, and etching sections K and K" are provided between the plating sections-H, H" and H' to eliminate polished surfaces, which may prevent tight adhesion of subsequent coatings in certain cases.

In the structure of Fig. 2, the etching sections K and K" are employed as the anodic electrolytic etchant, the current being supplied. from a separate source; as shown. The electro-cleaning generator 32 has its positive connection to sec-' tion pipe C" and its negative connection to the wire at the entrance die 28. The electric pickling generator 33 provides a positive connection to the wire at die 21 and a negative connection to pipe D. These connections may have reversed polarity if anodic cleaning and/or cathodic pickling of the wire is desired.

Thetwo plating generators 34 and 35 are connected negatively to the wire at dies 28 and 2! while the positive generator connections are to D the pipes H,- H". The etching generator 3! connects positively to the wire at die 28. and negatively to the pipe sectionK', and generator 31 shows a double commutator set delivering current to the last plating section 11" and etching current to the last etching section K". In some cases, alternating current may be applied between the wire and the wall in the etching section to give suflicient action on the drawn surface to subsequently producean adherent electrodeposit. The plating current is provided by one of the commutators, which is negatively connected to the wire at the die plate 29 and positively connected to the pipe section H'. During the plating operation, superimposed alternating current of desired voltage and frequency may be employed on the direct current to promote better connected to section K" will be anodic to the pipe of section K" which produces electro-etch ing of the wire surface. In some cases the plating solution itself is a very good etchant for the drawn surface of the coating,- and suflicient chemical action may result in the etching section without the use of current.

The dies between sections are of progressively greater hole diameter from the incoming to the outgoing end of the apparatus, so that when the coating builds up as the wire progresses through the apparatus, the coating is subjected to only a slight drawing at each die, sufficient for smoothing, with the base wire material suifering but slight elongation and hardening as it emerges 40 from the final plating section. By this arrangement of dies, a wire of a given diameter may be Unless otherwise herein described, like parts such as the inlet. and outlet pipe connections are as described in connection with Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Heating of the medium for annealing or for the chemical or electrical operations may be supplied by helically wound electrical heating coils wrapped around the outside of the chamber pipe sections. I

Fig. 3 discloses in elevation apparatus similar to that described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. except that the pipe-sections are vert cally instead of horizontally disposed, the heat treating, cooling. cleaning and pickling steps being carried out onthe up-going side as indicated by the arrows. and the plating, etching and rinsing steps beng carried out on the downgoing'side of the apparatus. In addition to the pay-off and wind-up reels Ii and I 2. wire guiding idler pulleys II and i2 are employed and a driven roll 38 is employed on the cross member at the top of the apparatus around which the wire makes one or more complete wraps to relieve the tension on the wire. and guide pulleys 3'8 and 38' are disposed in a water-tight or air-tight housing to prevent oxi- The upper drive i dation of the surface of the wire while passing through the chamber. The water or reducing gas or other medium employed in the upper housi'ng, designated by the numeral 39, is charged into the housing by conduit 40 and withdrawn at conduit 4|, as indicated by the arrows.

The apparatus and process of Fig. 3 need not be further described as its function appears to be obvious from the description of Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the vertically disposed treating chambers of Fig. 3 being advantageous in reducing floor space necessary for a coating installation.

A exemplified by the diagrammatic showin of the wire travel in Fig. 4, other arrangements of pulleys and disposition of.treating' chambers may be made. In the arrangement of Fig. 4, the upper rolls 42 and 43 may bepulling rolls to relieve the tension on the wire while the bottom roll 44 may be a pulling roll or an idle roll.

In Fig. an arrangement of 9 treating chambers vertically disposed in parallel is illustrated. The pipe sections or treating chambers designated by the numeral 45 may be supported by brackets 4-6. The wire may enter and be discharged from both ends of the apparatus as shown or they may all travel in the same direction from one end'to the other of the treatin apparatus.

In Fig. 6 the plural arrangement of parallel treating sections is shown vertically disposed, and the treating sections are preferably supported by a vertical standard or support at and/or intermediate the ends thereof.

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of a plurality of treating section designated by the numerals 41 and 48, having inner 'pipes or tubular housings 41' and 48' of a material suitable to the particular liquids employed. The wire travel is in the direction as shown by the arrows and initially enters a spacer seal 50 which is of an electrolytic non-conducting solution-resistant material. The opening 5| of the spacer seal is large enough to clear the wire 49 without any rubbing off of the wire surface. The wire enters the chamber of section 48, receives an electrodeposited coating and leavesthrough die '52 where it rece ves a drawing treatment for smoothing the coating.

Before entering the die, wire 49 passes through a gasket seal 53 of electrolytically non-conducting material, having a conical section 54 extending inwardly of the treating section 48. On leaving the die 52, the wire passes through another gasket seal 55. After passing through treating chamber, M, the wire receive another drawing treatment in the die '56. A gasket seal 51 abuts the die 58 and is provided with a cylindrical sealing surface 58. An electricalconducting shielding washer 59 is disposed around the wir and .is. secured by the die 56 to which it is electrically connected. The various ways of shielding the dies as illustrated in Fig. 7 i necessary to prevent clogging due to the plating action. Conseifiiently, the gasket seals 53, 54. 55 and 51 should provide very close fitting orifices to justclear the wire without rubbing on the wire surface. A soft rubber may be employed for the sealing gaskets, in which case light rubbing on the wire is not injurious.

It is to be noted that the shape of the dies and gaskets are such as to align the treating sections, the dies, the gasket orifices and wire. The shielding washer receives plating in preference to the die 58. Any deposit of metal on the I shielding washer 58 may be removed periodically by chemical or electro-chemical dissolving means. In Figs. 8 and 9, a tension regulating device is shown, such as the drum 38 of Fig. 3. The wire 49 is shown wrapped several turns around the pulley, and the latter is disposed within the housing 39 and mounted on shaft 60 driven by motor 6|. The shaft is sealed by the gasket 62 to constitute the housing an air-tight or liquidtight compartment.

In Figs. 10 and 11; a rinsing section is shown which may be employed as the section F of Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it being so marked. The wire, in passing through the rinsing section, is engaged by spring loaded squeegee rolls 63. These rolls, which may be of soft rubber or similar material, remove any solution adhering to the wire from previous treatment.

The baflie 64 in chamber F is welded to the inner wall of the pipe section F. Thespray nozzles may be constructed so that the lower member 24a acts as a funnel.

Fig. 12 illustrates a plating chamber and a solution circulation system. In this construction, sealing gaskets of conical shape designated by the numeral lifi are employed. The construction of the treating sections differ from that shown in Fig. 2 in that the outer and inner diameters of the-section are both constricted at some point near the center thereof to maintain uniform current density on the wire. The treating section of Fig. 12 is of the bimetallic type, having an outer supporting member 61 and an inner lining member 68 that is coated for use as an insoluble anode with a chemical-resistant material.

The solution circulation system is completely enclosed and consists of a storage tank 18 having a pump ll connected by a conduit 12. The pump is driven by motor 13 and the solution is delivered to the treating section by conduit 14. The solution is returned to the sump or tank 18 by outlet conduit 15 and passes through a filter 16 to the tank.

Any as pressure in the solution tank 10 is released through a vent or release valve 11, and chemicals may be added to tank "1 through an opening in the cover of the tank, controlled by a closure plate 18.

Fig. 13 illustrates still another form of plating chamber with its solution circulation system. The wire enters and leaves through gasketed die plates and 8| which are bolted together by tie-rods 82. The treating section is a. split member and the two halves 83 and 84 are joined by split clamps 85, a sealing gasket 86 being disposed between the abutting faces of the sections. By this construction, the treating sections may he removed without unthreading the wire from the apparatus, and is adapted for use with insoluble or soluble anode pipes. The circulating system is similar to that shown in Fig. 12 except that the filter is not in series with the chamber inlet and outlet pipes, but in parallel with the storage tank and pump.

Fig. 14 illustrates a side view and Fig. 15 a cross-section of a supporting means for the treating apparatus. The treating section 88 is provided with a support 89 that is mounted in a T-slotted base 90. ,The die 9| is similarly mounted by a support 92 to the T-s'lotted base 90, the supports 89 and 92 being electrically insulated from the pipe 88 and the die 9| respectively. These supports may be fastened or released by clamping bolts 93 and moved horizontally in the T-way of the bottom support 88.

Fig. 16 illustrates anotherform of plating chamber which employs three concentric pipes 04, and 00 as' separate chambers for coating multiple wires, generally designated by the numeral 01. .The numeral 00 designates the die plates through which the wires are drawn, and numeral 90 designates the gasket seals. The pipes are properly spaced and supported by rods I00 which attach to a center rod IOI which also method of coating a multitude of wires in a smaller space when it is not a disadvantage to have anodes on only two sides of the wire instead of all around its circumference.

In Fig. 18 is shown a pipe chamber especially suited for use with soluble anode pipes. The chamber section is designated by the numeral I06. The wire enters through the die I01 and exits at the die I08. Intermediate the die and the sections are non-conducting gasket seals I09 and H0 which have solution inlet and outlet orifices III and H2. The flow passages of the gaskets are rounded to permit a low pressure drop at high solution velocity. t

It is evident from the foregoing description of the invention that the process and apparatus described therein is especially adapted to simultaneously alternate electro-plating and drawing of metallic coatings on a metallic wire by continuous operation. It is further adapted to the production of coated ferrous or non-ferrous metallic wire at a very high rate of speed without loss of solution from drag-out on the wire. The apparatus is also constructed to exclude the atmosphere from the wire and the plating solutions, and to prevent solution spray such as may result from gas evolution.

The equipment also employs the plating solution as a lubricant and coolant for the wire drawing operation, and permits of the use of extremely high cathode current density during plating, with the removal of any adhering bubbles from the wire. The invention further provides for a uniform short distance from anode to adjacent cathode wire with an anode curmaterial, or such material may be electroplated or cast on the inner wall of the section.

The cleaning section D maybe operated as an alkaline chemical cleaner employing no current or it may be employed as a cathodic or anodic electrolytic cleaner for the wire. Aqueous solutions or molten salts may also be employed. Hot or cold solvents may be employed as a liquid solvent cleaner or as a solvent degreaser, or vapor solvents may be employed.

Where molten salts or gases at high temperatures are utilized in the cleaning or pickling sections, they are preferably followed by a cooling section containing solutions orreducing or nonoxidizing gases at low temperatures to reduce the temperature of the wire beforeit advances to the next adjacent section. Also if desired, hardening of the wire may be accomplished by quick quenching by employing water in such additional cooling sections.

If gases are evolved during the plating operation, they may be bled-off from the enclosed storage tank at a point above the solution level and may be collected and used for other purposes.

It is also quite feasible to employ aluminum or other metallic powders in the plating chambers instead of the electrolytic plating, which powders would readily attach themselves to the wire after pickling and form a lubricant for the subsequent drawing operations. The powder'materiels would b worked into the surface of the wire to form a smooth glossy coating.

Furthermore, the enclosed system has the advantage of excluding all foreign matter and the atmosphere, and prevents escape of solution by spray or gas evolution during electrolysis. Such a system may also be thermally insulated to reduce heat losses from hot solutions. Heating or cooling maybe accomplished by heat exchangers, coils or immersion heaters in the storage tank or by helically wound thermally and electrically insulated electrically heating coils. Cooling fins may be cast on the wall of the pipe sections to increase radiation for cooling, and the pipe sections when employed as insoluble anodes may be jacketed for the circulation of steam for hot or cold water.

Because of the compactness of the chambers,

- much higher solution velocities are practical than in commercial plating tanks heretofore employed because a much smaller volume of solution is utilized and pumped. Such minimum volumes of solution permit of extremely high cathodic current densities which are impossible with slow solution circulation and agitation. The inside of the pipe sections may be constructed with radial, longitudinal or spiral fins to produce a swirling effect to the solution, resulting in greater agitation and increasing the anode area for even higher cathodic current densities.

Plating solutions employed in the apparatus may be of the conventional type well known in the art, and their nature will depend upon the metal or alloy to be plated. Water soluble materials and colloids including surface tension depressants such as the aromatic sulfonic acids, fatty alcohol sulphates, sulphonated oils, sulphonated ethers and organic materials, such as glycerin, the ethanolamines, the ethylene glycols,gums, sugars and the like may be added to the plating solutions to assist in the lubrication of the dies for the drawing operations.

The choice of plating solutions is large due to the alternate plating and drawing operations, and solutions not satisfactory for plating heavy coatings in conventional tanks may be perfectly, satisfactory for use in the present apparatus because of the compacting of the coating metal during the drawing operations after plating like coatings.

It is apparent that the apparatus and method herein disclosed is adapted to the production of wires of very small diameters such as molybdenum, tungsten and similar refractory wires. To this end,.the pipe sections of the apparatus may be employed for dissolving the wire chemically or electro-chemically with the dies set to have progressively smaller hole diameters from the start to the finish end of the apparatus, each When the apparatus is employed for hot coat-' ings of metallic wire with dissimilar metal or alloys, the interposed dies may be of alloy steels, metallic carbides, diamonds or the like, the die openings being of suitable diameter to remove any excess coating metal, leaving a coating of desired thickness. Where the coating metal alloys with the wire, the dies may be of suitable diameter to draw the wire, leaving only an alloy of the coatingmetal and the wire metal on the surface. These advantages are obtainable from the completely enclosed system for the molten bath which prevents oxidation of the coating metal during heating conditions. employed in pipe sections ahead of the section where the hot dip coating takes place, but may not be necessary since the atmosphere is excluded from the molten metal; Such operations may likewise be advantageously conducted in a vertical plane to prevent rubbing of the wire on one side of the die opening, which would result in uneven coating on the wire.

The apparatus and method is ideally adapted to the production of copper wire, copper clad steel wire, electro-tinning of copper and steel wire, electro-galvanizing of steel wire, lead coating of steel wire or miscellaneous coatings of fer-.

rous or non-ferrous wires with metals or alloys such as bronze, silver, teme, cadmium, tin, copper, zinc or lead and with separate layers of 'two or more metals of two or, more alternate layers.

Although several embodiments of the invention have been herein illustrated and described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction and in the arrangement of the several operating parts without departing from the principles herein set forth. Thus it will be evident that the pipe sections may be flanged with proper electrical insulation therebetween and between the dies and flange bolts.

I claim: 1. The steps in the method of coating wire with the same or dissimilar metal by continuous electrolytic process which comprises passing the wire through a series of electrically connected drawing dies for electrolytically treating the wire while successively subjecting the same to heat treating, cooling, cleaning, pickling and electroplating, and repeating the said steps if desired.

2. In the method of electrolytic production of metallic wire, the steps of heat treating, cooling, cleaning and pickling the wire, and electroplating said wire with coating layers of the same or dissimilar metal as composes the wire, passing the wire through electrically connected drawing dies before and after the steps of heat treating, cooling, cleaning, pickling and electroplating, and continuously pulling the wire through the varioussteps.

3. In the method of electrolytic production of metallic wire, the steps of'heat treating, cooling, cleaning, pickling and electroplatingsaid wire with coating layers of the same or dissimilar Fluxes may be metal as composes the wire, and etching the surface of said wire between the electroplating steps, passing the wire through electrically connected drawing dies before and after the steps of heat treating, cooling, cleaning, and after the steps of electroplating, and continuously pulling the wire through the various steps.

4. In the method of electrolytic coating of metallic wire, the steps of heat treating, cooling and electroplating said wire with coating layers of the same or dissimilar metal, heat treating and cooling the wire after plating, passing the wire through electrically connected drawing dies before and after the steps of heat treating, cooling, cleaning, pickling and electroplating, and continuously pulling the wire through the various steps.

5. In the method of electrolytic coating of metallic wire, the steps of heat treating, cooling, cleaning, pickling and electroplating said wire with coating layers of the same or dissimilar metal, etching the surface of said wire between the electroplating steps, heat treating and cooling said wire, passing the wire through electrically connected drawing die plates before and after the steps of heat treating, cooling, cleaning, and after the steps of electroplating, and continuously pulling the wire through the various steps.

6. In the method of electrolytic production of metallic coated wire, the steps of successively treating, cleaning, pickling and electroplating said wire with the same or dissimilar metal as composes the wire, in a controlled atmosphere while continuously subjecting the wire to the action of electrically connected drawing dies for electrolytically treating the wire during some of the said processing steps.

7. The method of coating wire by electroplating by continuous process which comprises passing the wire continuously through a series 01' contiguous treating chambers through electrical- 1y connected drawing dies disposed intermediate some of said chambers for electrolytically treating the wire while maintaining a controlled atmosphere in said chambers.

8. The method of producing metallic coated wire which comprises passing the wire-from end to end through a series of contiguous treating chambers having electrically connected drawing dies interposed between some of said chambers for electrolytically treating the wire, and subjecting the wire to difierent treating medium circulated in the respective chambers.

9. The method of producing coated wire which comprises passing the wire through a plurality tric action of the solutions circulated in the treating chambers.

10. The method of producing coated wire by electric process as set forth in claim 1 in which the wire is passed through a series of cylindrical shaped treating chambers closed at their ends while maintaining the wire centrally of said chambers to'provide a uniform current density throughout the travel of the wire.

11. In the method of coating wire as set forth in claim 1 in which the wire is passed through a series of cylindrical treating chambers having drawing dies interposed between some of said chambers, and maintaining a uniform current density between the cathode and anode to obtain uniform electrolytic treatment of the wire while passing through the treating chambers.

12. In the method of coating wire by electrolytie process, the steps of passing the wire through contiguous centrally constricted treating chambers, some of which having interposed drawing dies, and balancing the resistance drop of the current flow through the wire against the resistance drop oi the current flow through the solution to maintain uniform current density on the wire.

13. In the method of coating wire by electrolytic process, the steps of passing the wire through contiguous treating chambers, some of which having interposed drawing dies, balancing the resistance drop of the current flow through the wire against the resistance drop of the current flow through the solutionto maintain uniform current densityon the wire, and circulating the treating medium through said chambers at high velocity of flow countercurrent to the travel of the wire.

14. The method of producing coated wire by electrolytic process which comprises continuously passing the wire through a series oi elon' gated treating chambers, the walls of which constituting insoluble anodes of varying cross-section to control the current density on the cathode surface of the wire, maintaining the wire centrally of said anode walls and passing the wire while being treated through a series of longitudinally spaced drawing dies electrically connected to constitute the wire a cathode member while circulating the treating medium through said chambers at extremely high velocity of flow countercurrent to the travel of the wire.

, WILLIAM C. LANG. 

